In an extraordinary display of power-hitting in Rawalpindi, Sri Lanka pulled off the second-highest successful run chase in one-day international history, overhauling a daunting 430-run target to defeat England by two wickets. The remarkable result eclipsed a historic individual effort from Harry Brook, who smashed the fastest double hundred in ODI history, making him the first player in the format’s history to score a double century and finish on the losing side. As England suddenly found themselves back in it, none of the trio were there at the close.
Sri Lanka’s run chase ranks second only to South Africa’s legendary 438-run pursuit against Australia in Johannesburg back in 2006. The Asian side rebounded from an early collapse that saw them slipping to 24 for two, driven by brilliant contributions from Pavan Rathnayake, Avishka Fernando, and Dasun Shanaka. Rathnayake anchored the innings with a team-high 130, while Fernando and Shanaka both contributed vital scores of 97. Only that magical 438 game, 20 years ago, trumps it. Rathnayake top-scored with 130, Fernando struck 97, and Shanaka – with 97 of his own – was the most brutal of the lot.
The successful chase appeared in doubt early on when Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis was run out without facing a ball after Gus Atkinson deflected a drive onto the stumps, while Josh Tongue bowled Kamindu Mendis with a sharp delivery. However, Rathnayake and Fernando mounted a counter-attack on a flat surface, constructing a 166-run partnership for the third wicket. Rathnayake was particularly aggressive against Tongue’s short-pitched bowling, reaching his hundred off 87 balls using a distinctive low-hands setup at the crease. His revenge act included eight sixes, after being taken apart with the ball.
After Fernando fell just short of a century by offering a return catch to Jamie Overton, Shanaka accelerated the scoring. Having conceded heavy runs earlier while bowling, Shanaka launched a furious assault that featured eight sixes, including a boundary off a high Sam Curran delivery as he passed 50. At 250 for three with 16 overs remaining, Sri Lanka maintained a stronger scoring rate than England had managed at the equivalent stage, eventually leaving them needing 109 runs off the final 60 balls.
The match reached a tense climax in the final over with Sri Lanka requiring eight runs. England bowler Josh Tongue briefly swung the momentum by clean bowling Dunith Wellalage and Eshan Malinga with successive deliveries. However, Janith Liyanage held his nerve, launching a straight six down the ground with one ball to spare to seal victory, ending unbeaten on 61.
The dramatic defeat overshadowed a masterpiece from Brook, whose 202 came off just 114 deliveries, breaking the record for the fastest ODI double ton previously set three weeks earlier by India’s Shubman Gill off 117 balls. Brook showed exceptional footwork throughout his innings, repeatedly movement across his crease to scoop, ramp, and slice deliveries behind the wicket on both sides. He reached his hundred off 75 balls in the 40th over, before accelerating from 100 to 150 in just 20 deliveries, and taking another 17 balls to reach 200 with a ramp off Liyanage in the final over before falling on the final ball of the innings. Even by Brook’s high standards, came in vain, and so a sublime piece of work. Brook began slowly here, 13 from his first 24 deliveries, but took advantage of the part-timers, thumping Kamindu Mendis and Liyanage to reach his half-century off 42 balls.
Earlier in England’s innings, Tom Banton provided a solid foundation by scoring his fourth consecutive half-century at the top of the order. Brook then built a major third-wicket stand with Joe Root, evoking memories of their 191-run partnership in Colombo earlier in the year. During the innings, Root became the first English batsman to reach 8,000 ODI runs before miscuing a catch to midwicket on 69. Milestones follow Root every time he bats nowadays and this time it was the mark of 8,000 ODI runs, the first Englishman to get there, quietly accumulating as Brook began to torment Sri Lanka’s frontliners as well.
Following Root’s dismissal, Will Jacks provided late-innings fireworks, blasting an unbeaten 66 off 30 balls to propel England past the 400-run mark. Among Sri Lanka’s bowlers, only left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage managed to contain Brook, avoiding conceding a single boundary to the batter during his spell. When they put on 191 in a series decider against Sri Lanka, the latter whopping an unbeaten 136 off 66 balls, the pair hopped into the DeLorean and went back to January in Colombo.
England had made a tactical change to their bowling lineup prior to the match, omitting the experienced Adil Rashid in favor of left-arm spinner Liam Dawson to exploit skidder pitch conditions. However, the attack struggled to contain Sri Lanka’s middle order as the chase unfolded.
While players like Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, and Shakib Al Hasan have previously scored Test match double centuries in losing causes, Brook’s effort marks the first time the feat has occurred in a men’s one-day international. 242 Ricky Ponting (Aus) Lost by 4 wkts to Ind, Second Test 2003. 226 Brian Lara (WI) Lost by 7 wkts to Aus, Third Test 2005. 222 Nathan Astle (NZ) Lost by 98 runs to Eng, First Test 2002. 221 Brian Lara (WI) Lost by 10 wkts to Sri Lanka, Third Test 2001. 217 Shakib Al Hasan (Ban) Lost by 7 wkts to NZ, First Test 2017. 214 Victor Trumper (Aus) Lost by 38 runs to SA, Third Test 1911. 209 Graeme Pollock (SA) Lost by 6 wkts to Aus, Second Test 1966-7. 206 Paul Collingwood (Eng) Lost by 6 wkts to Aus, Second Test 2006. 205 Neil Harvey (Aus) Lost by 6 wkts to SA, Fifth Test 1953.
